Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to reconsider its January 31 deadline for the redesigned naira notes.

The governor, who spoke through his Director of General Media and Press Affairs, Mamman Mohammed, asked the CBN to make a special arrangement for residents of rural areas to enable meet the dateline.He said only four out of the 17 local government areas in the state have banking services.

Buni noted that the situation became even worse where some banks closed up their branches during the Boko Haram crisis but have remained reluctant to reopen them, despite the improved security in the state.

He said: “Some of the banks with branches in the local government areas closed the branches at the peak of the Boko Haram security challenge but are yet to reopen, in spite of the improved security in the state

“The CBN should be considerate to provide special services to such areas with special needs to avoid making them victims and losing their money.

“The CBN and commercial banks should, as a matter of urgent public interest, deploy alternative services at their disposal to salvage the situation.

“As a regulatory body, CBN should also ensure commercial banks open branches in the local government council headquarters now that there is improved peace and security across the state,” he said.

Also, the CBN has enlisted the support of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, and Olubadan-in-Council, on advocacy for the designed naira notes.

 CBN Ibadan Branch Controller, Mrs. Olufolake Ogundero, said this after an advocacy visit to the Olubadan at his Alarere Palace at the weekend in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the apex bank’s sensitisation train, which took off from the popular Dugbe Market on Thursday, had visited major markets across the state and other important institutions.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele had announced the introduction of redesigned N200, N500 and N1,000 notes with a directive that all old notes would be out of circulation by January 31

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